Proceedings of the Workshop on Sustainable Exploitation of Tropical Coastal Fish Stocks in Asia funded by the Asian Development Bank, 2-5 July 1996, Manila, Philippines. The regional overview and country reports document the prevailing coastal fisheries situation and the host of issues impacting the sustainability of, and improvement ofbenefits derived from, coastal fisheries in South and Southeast Asia. Management directions and interventions requiring increased attention include: limited entry and effort rationalization schemes; gear, area, and temporal restrictions on fishing; improvement of marketing and postharvest facilities; enhancement of stakeholders' awareness and participation; reduction of coastal environmental impacts; institutional upgrading and strengthening; and enhancement of fisheries research and information.